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India were batting on 190/2 with Rahul Dravid (28) and night watchman Ishant Sharma (7) in the middle at close on Day 3 of the first Test against South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Saturday.

India were batting on 190/2 with Rahul Dravid (28) and night watchman Ishant Sharma (7) in the middle at close on Day 3 of the first Test against South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Saturday.

South Africa's Jacques Kallis celebrates his double century against India in Centurion on Saturday. Photo by AP

The situation could have been grimmer, but for the South African fielders who helped India's cause, giving them as many as five lives.

Ideally, a cautious approach would have been justified considering that India had to chip away a massive 484-run lead amassed by the South Africans.

But, they were far from cautious. First Gautam Gambhir threw caution to the winds and took a risky single in the very first over of the innings, then it was Virender Sehwag's turn to show his antics. He nearly got run out in the third over.

But, Sehwag hadn't finished yet. After hitting Lonwabo Tsotsobe for a six, he decided to go after the relatively inexperienced bowler. While attempting an aerial stroke, he failed to get desired elevation and could have been warming the benches had Hashim Amla been a little agile.

There was more to come, as Alviro Petersen, standing at point, dropped Gambhir on 43 off Dale Steyn and then on 62 in the same position off Morne Morkel.

After missing two run outs and three catching opportunities, South Africa managed to cling on to one. And it was Sehwag, who finally bid adieu on 63.

An aerial shot off Paul Harris that wasn't perfectly timed landed in skipper Graeme Smith's safe hands in the deep.

Steyn too was rewarded for his efforts. But this time round he did not take any help from the fielders. He kept the ball low and rammed it into Gambhir's pads to see him off on 80 as the India score read 170/2.

Earlier, South Africa put on a massive 620/4 in the first innings in reply to India's measly 136.Jacques Kallis scored an unbeaten double ton and AB de Villiers hit a fast-paced century.In fact, his century was so quick, that it entered the record books as the fastest century in Tests by a South African.

He scored it off 75 balls hitting two consecutive sixes off Suresh Raina when batting on 93. He went on to make 129.

Like second day's play, Saturday too saw India claim two wickets. Only it wasn't the veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh but medium pacer Ishant Sharma, who came to the fore.

First Ishant got better of Amla on 140 and then claimed AB de Villiers on 129 with skipper M.S. Dhoni performing the final rites behind the stumps on both occasions.

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